THE meeting on Monday, July 7 at the Abbey Hotel, was opened by the Probus Chairman, Bill Major who welcomed all members and guests. Business matters were dealt with very quickly and the Chair then introduced Brian Jauncey to tell the story of Madresfield Court-the original Brideshead.

Members enjoyed an interesting talk, one that skilfully wove the history of the house with the history of the family and indeed with the history of the country. The story begins soon after the publication of the Doomsday Book in 1086 and is remarkable for its continuity as Madresfield Court has never been sold or bought in all its long history, remaining solely in the hands of the Lygon family.

Members were shown a range of early portraits and pictures depicting the development of the building through from the Tudor, Elizabethan, Regency and Victorian periods to the present day. The quality of the furniture and fittings, much of which was imported from France in the early 19th century was a revelation to those of us who have not had the pleasure of visiting the Court. Pictures of the Long Gallery, the Saloon and the wonderful Library with over 12,000 volumes and the Chapel, a remarkable example of the Arts and Craft Movement, certainly strengthened the intention to visit what is clearly a jewel in Malvern’s Crown.

The contribution of the Lygon family over many generations, both to the country and to the local community was fully discussed. All in all, a fascinating piece of local history very well received by Probus members.

For our next meeting on Monday, July 21 we are very pleased to welcome back Ron Gallivan who will speak on The Prelude to WW1. Further details of the Malvern Probus Club, including the 2014 programme, can be found in the display cabinet just inside Malvern Library.

TONY BATES